Just giving this thread an update, I submitted my clean pass sticker request via the website and got approved 2 days later. the sticker has been sent out and will arrive in 10 days.
"Thank you for contacting the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles.
We apologize that we cannot issue Clean Pass Stickers for your vehicle. Effective February 1, 2022, new Clean Pass vehicle stickers for single-occupant HOV lane access on the Long Island Expressway in Nassau and Suffolk counties shall only be issued to owners of Plug-In Electric and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles."
"Thank you for contacting the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles.
We apologize that we cannot issue Clean Pass Stickers for your vehicle. Effective February 1, 2022, new Clean Pass vehicle stickers for single-occupant HOV lane access on the Long Island Expressway in Nassau and Suffolk counties shall only be issued to owners of Plug-In Electric and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles."
I would reapply again. There is a person on this thread who kept applying and finally got one approved. I am absolutely sure I just hit the jackpot of luck with my HOV lane sticker.